Union of Concerned (and Inept) Scientists

The Union of Concerned Scientists has kept itself in the news over the years through proven PR tactics, warning of apocalypses and pretending expertise where none exists. You see, as the Blogger-in-Chief is fond of pointing out (here and here), there aren’t a lot of scientists involved in the Union — anybody can join. Heck, for all we know, they may even be feigning their concern.

Any knowledge of the car industry is certainly made up, as Iain Murray notes at Planet Gore. Seems the Union of Concerned Scientists claimed it could design a better car than Detroit. GM took them up on their offer (story here), and the results were…worthy of concern.

GM spokesman Chris Preuss said, “The challenge with the environmentalists is that there is a complete lack of business and technical experience from which they can draw conclusions.

“The fact is that we must balance dozens of complex regulatory and consumer issues in producing vehicles — safety, performance, fuel economy and affordability, to name but a few The more we can inform and engage the misconceptions, the more robust the societal discussion will be. For that reason, we think the meeting was very worthwhile.”

To which the UCS spokesman said, “I think we will have to build a driveable vehicle” to convince GM the technology works.

Imagine the marketing team for that car. “We’ll call it The Doom Mobile, powered by the vapors!” “No, no, it’s got to be the “UCS Savor,” with connotations of salvation and saving! Goes 0 to 60 in seven minutes to midnight!” “Bah. We will name it, ‘The Car of Concern.’ Because we are. Concerned, that is.”